Russian chocolate by Valerie SartorRussian chocolate has become a minor addiction for me. I eat chocolate every day, sometimes several times a day. At home

Men's toys by Valerie Sartor“We are floating in a barrel filled with gunpowder, down an unknown river,” said Tatiana, smiling. \"Russians describe our current economic situation this way.” “Americans have a similar saying

Without a fur coat by Valerie Sartor“You’re nothing in Russia without a fur coat; you’re simply not a woman,” Nastya said casually, sipping her tea. This willowy young mother with silvery blonde hair could easily have been a professional fur model. I

Sardines by Valerie SartorA small, young gray cat with Siamese blue eyes crawled out of the broken cinder block that makes up part of the foundation of my Russian dormitory building. I think this structure, as many others around it, was built after WWII; we have no elev

How Do You Say "Yes, Please" in Chinese? by Valerie SartorMany kinds of linguistic means and strategies exist for achieving politeness in Mandarin Chinese. These communicative patterns are cultural and not easy for foreigners to understand. To put it succinctly, Confucius said, \"By nature we converge